Customer Reviews

Stigmata: A Medieval Mystery in a Modern Age

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A very good overview of the evidence for the occurence of thestigmata. Most of the cases point to its reality as a psychosomaticmanifestation of the individuals identification with the sufferings of Jesus of Nazareth. While this view makes the stigmata less "miraculous," it makes the event just as fascinating as a demonstration of what the mind can render through the flesh (those who insist that all the cases are fraudulent haven't read any serious work on the subject). Ian Wilson's Stigmata is also a good read as well.

A good book, but not a great one. The subject fascinates me so when I see a book at a discount bookstore in Philadelphia w/the title Stigmata I pick it up. The title and the cover intrigued me. However, Harrison does not break any new ground here. He uses modern day examples of people who have been given this gift from God. He explains the migration of the stigmata from Europe to America. There have been several instances of people from the U.S. with the stigmata. He also touches on the recent phenomena of other Christians besides Catholic Christians receiving the stigmata. The book is very easy to read and is neatly broken down into titled chapters so if you don't want to read about "cases from the past" you can move straight to "cases from the present" without losing anything. In other words you can read chapter six before you read chapter three and not get confused. He does have an interesting chapter on how the medical profession views these phenomena. He sites papers authored by medical doctors on spontaneous wounds and not just the stigmata type. Doctors do not have an explanation. People under close medical observation have spontaneously received scars or burns for no reason. Very odd. He mentions "blushing" as a very small example of this where an intense emotion triggers a visible physical response. I gave the book only two stars because it didn't go into any depth on the subject. I enjoyed parts, but for the most part I knew this stuff prior to reading it. I get a little annoyed after I finish a book and realize I didn't learn anything from it.

Although stigmata is a fascinating subject, this book is a tad disorganized. While it does break up past & present occurrences of stigmata into different chapters, within a single chapter, it smears one case into the next, sans clear transitions. Additionally, there is no appendix in the back to quickly & easily retrace specified cases.

However, regardless of some of the book's drawbacks, the subject is extremely interesting & Mr. Harrison tries to take a neutral stance on it--he's neither overly enthusiastic nor distastefully cynical. He examines the possible psychosomatic, medical or spiritual causes of the wounds & the effects that they have on the afflicted individuals & the communities at large. He also delves into the history of the when, where & why stigmata seemingly started.

All in all, if you're new to the study of stigmata, this book is a great start, but it may be too broad for someone already well versed in the subject.

This book is a wonderful introduction to the subject and covers a lot of ground. It will pique your interest and may make you want to buy "They bore the wounds of Christ" which is a much more detailed book but comes from a Jesuit and will therefore have a rather less sceptical approach to the matter.

Noetheless, the best intro to this world including a good history of the subject and several recent subjects which don't always fit the bill of the traditional white Catholic Europeans.

Catch the MGM movie STIGMATA this fall...

Since its apparent first documentation with St. Francis of Assisi, the stigmata has been a source of profound interest in the Christian faith. While this book is very informative on the subject, it left me thirsty for more.

While some believe St. Paul may have been the first to experience the stigmata because of a vague reference in Galatians 6:17, St Francis of Assisi is the first known stigmata. While others throughout history seem to have been more deserving of this gift of God, a very diverse group have been the recipients. Catholics and non-Catholics have been the recipients of the stigmata, as well as occuring in differing races and on different continents. The most striking parallel between even the most obscure cases are some of the tell-tale signs of stigmata. These traits include eating little, the location of the wounds and their shape, a very pleasant odor, an intimate relationship with Jesus, and even cases of bilocation. If you believe that all things are possible with the Lord, you should give this phenomenon a look.

While cases such as Heather Woods and Padre Pio are discussed at length, I believe the author would have gained more credibility in his argument by discussing the fraudulent cases of stigmata. While these have existed, they are hardly discussed in the book. The false claims would help to authenticate the real cases. Still, I learned a great deal about real cases of stigmata in this book and would recommend it to other readers.

All things are possible. Many debate, is sigmata, the act of expression of a god, or the subliminal acts of the minds of a few. It matters not. The point is well made, all things are possible.